May 16 2008
Top five super-power origins
Here in Australian time we’re saying TGIF, which also means that here at Quit Your Day Job it’s time for the Friday Top Five.
I’m going to start off this week by stating an unarguably universal truth. If you have seen a Star Wars film then you’ve tried using the power of your mind to move the remote control. Don’t deny it, even though you know it is the most improbable thing in the world you’ve secretly given it a go at least once if only for a split second.
So you obviously don’t have any super powers (I dunno maybe you do, if so, dude cool!) so where do our favourite characters gain their super powers from?
- Radiation - Be it gamma bombs, radioactive spiders or cosmic rays radiation could well be your ticket to super-power land. Alternatively you’ll die an agonising death from radiation poisoning.
There is an extraordinary long list of characters who base their powers on a brush with radiation or naturally produce the glowing good stuff themselves. Closest you’ll probably come is the wonder that is microwave popcorn. - Do it yourself - We can’t all be swept up in an irradiated gamma blast to gain incredible abilities. Some of us have to go out and make things happen for ourselves or they never will. Sounds like a Tony Robbins session but Tony Stark had to build himself some super powers in the form of a giant iron suit. Bruce Wayne spent his tortured formative years travelling the world learning from the very best to one day become the world’s greatest detective. It’s a lot of effort though and one has to wonder if it wouldn’t just be easier to go out and get yourself a radioactive spider? Closest you’ll probably come? As if you’re going to get off that couch and train yourself in martial arts in order to avenge your parents, and really, programming the microwave to make that popcorn can be technologically challenging enough without adding repulsors and jet boots to the mix.
- Not of this world - Not all aliens are little green men. Some like the Martian Manhunter are big green men. Others like Superman don’t even look alien in the slightest and sometimes I think people forget our biggest comic book hero is an alien, but he is (just like ALF). A little more on the shiny side is the Silver Surfer and importantly enough good old Gnort is of course an alien himself. Closest you’ll come to this? Watching X-Files DVDs.
- Be a god - or at the very least god’ish. Sounds simple enough? Well yes and no, you don’t really have to do anything as such but it does involve saying ‘thee’ and ‘art’. Obviously Thor and Wonder Woman fall into this category, there is also the obvious Hercules and whatever other Greek gods Marvel can dig up. Less obvious characters that can be called god’ish include Ghost Rider, Hellboy and without giggling the current Blue Beetle. Closest you’ll get to be a god? “Ray, when somebody asks you if you’re a god you say yes!” You’re not a god.
- Drugs - Now kids don’t do drugs! They mess you up and leave you with no money for comic books and DVDs. That being said if you do happen to be the sole survivor of some super soldier experiment then you can argue it didn’t hurt Captain America, well until he got shot… don’t do drugs. If you do need to fight a solenoid robot and you lead the American Eagle Squadron you may just need to pop a Proton Energy Pill (don’t do drugs). Not all chemical based heroes are dope fiends though, poor Flash got covered in chemicals that were charged with a bolt of lightning (great scott!) not once of course but twice (of all the bad luck!). Closest you’ll come… um don’t do drugs.
Next we’re looking at the Top Five film surprises of the pleasant kind!
Popularity: 21% [?]
Radiation - no, Not of this world, Be a god - no, no.
So I guess that leaves either the drugs or the do it yourself option to fulfil my dreams.
I’m going out to see if I can get me a jet pack at the weekend.
Sams last blog post..Beers on Heads
well, Asterix & Obelix sure are some junkies. Obelix is permanently cranked up and Asterix regulary get’s his fix and kicks Roman butt.
Don’t do drugs?
Btw, just saw ‘Juno’, very funny. Also got the OST, busy with the draft.
Arjans last blog post..Transformers OST
oh and drugs would be the easiest overhere.
I’m busy with the martial arts..but it’s taking so long.
The alien thing..not working, radiation..I guess I took some mild radiation from blow-over radiation from Tsjernobil when I was 3 or something.
Be a god..god’s don’t bleed, I bleed..hence..yeah it sucks.
Arjans last blog post..Happiness
I’m on the brink of sending you one of my most treasured possessions. In fact I will. Email me your address again Lee.
That is related to this post, I promise.
You left out mutation, both x-men style and DC’s metagene style.
Oh and I though blue beetle’s suit was alien technology, or have I not read far enough in the series?
Dans last blog post..The crossover event of the decade
Sam - not a god? Not an alien? You’re not trying hard enough!! (I promise I’m not going to say that to everyone who comments - just the first!)
Did you see Fusion Man on the news? He had jet wings or some such, I didn’t think of stealing someone else’s hard work as an option!
Arjan - you are so right Asterix and Obelix are dope fiends! I completely forgot about their ‘magic potion’ that they crave.
I’m not advocating drugs…
Dan, mutants, damnit I thought about them early on in the process and they fell off my radar. Damnit.
Blue Beetle’s suit, damnit, damnit, damnit that’s what you get for not going to wikipedia and accepting ’some website’s information’.
Good catch on both!
Damnit.
What? No metahuman theory included? You don’t think we might luck out and inherit some mutant genes?
lol
Bettinas last blog post..Enter Stage Right.
Hmmm…. maybe you could revise #1 to be Mutation, whether caused by radiation or genetics…
Or maybe 1a radiation and 1b genetics…?
Jeffs last blog post..TV updates: 24 and Smallville (w/spoilers)
Bettina - the other day I sat and concentrated real hard for about half an hour at my desk trying to will myself to mutate and have cool claws come out of my hands so I can smite all my enemies. Nothing happened and now they won’t bring me my mail.
But yeah the mutant thing was an oversight damnit.
you’ve caught me at my pc again lol
The whole point of mutation though is that it is not a matter of will, it just is what it is. Our parents were freaks and we have inherited a mixture of their genetic madness……;)
Bettinas last blog post..Enter Stage Right.
oh and I think you forgot a step in your quest for claws……… Next time remember to get yourself injected with adamantium first lol
Bettinas last blog post..Enter Stage Right.
I used to be a Tomorrow Person when I was about 8. (Maybe a bit before your time) I would show people how I could transport myself, but it happened so quick they couldn’t see it.
My powers left as puberty hit…..
Those were the days ….. lol
Widdle Shamrocks last blog post..More on Autism
Did you ever read that Warren Ellis comic about 10 or so year ago where all he gave all the Marvel radiation-based heroes a real world origin? Most of them just died of cancer or something. Very cheery.
Me, I’m hoping to one day find a power ring or learn a magic word.
Rols last blog post..I Thought About The Army
Jeff all the mutie lovers out there aren’t going to let me live it down that I left mutation off the list so I’m going to latch onto your explanation and say that’s what I meant!
Bettina - trying to put logic in this shame on you
Widdle Shamrock - before my time but not unheard of - I know people who loved that series!! That’s a shame about your powers
Rol - never did see that so I’m going to have to track it down, any idea on the name at all?
Oh by the way - Shazam (shhhhhhh don’t tell anyone)
Sorry, I just read my last comment back and it makes very little sense. You managed anyway!
The comic was called Ruins.
Here’s a link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruins_(comics)
Rols last blog post..I Thought About The Army
don’t try to shame me cos you left mutants off your list!
Besides I’m female…….. many would say not capable of logic bwaahaahaa
Bettinas last blog post..Enter Stage Right.
Rol - cool I’d never heard of it and now I’m going to track down a copy to read - I let you know what I think when I finally can.
Bettina - I would never question the logic of a lady